Hard choice

Hard choice

Having had two major operations this year (one an emergency appendicectomy, the other for thyroid cancer), I support Jenni Russell's excellent piece (Comment, June 26) - as far as it goes. When you are out of your mind with pain, or have a child or partner who is so, choice is an absurdity. You need swift, expert and local medical care, which is exactly what I received at the Royal Free hospital. However, my local GP completely failed to spot what I was suffering from cancer, despite my repeated requests to check my thyroid and a scan that showed several lumps developing. It was only when, in despair and with reluctance, I went private, that my cancer was detected. Another year, and it would have spread so as to be inoperable. What of the thousands of cancer sufferers who can't afford to pay and whose lack of choice leads to their untimely death?
Amanda Craig London